Former Prem striker lauds Leeds star as the ‘ultimate team player’

Lewis Oldham
Leeds

Former Leeds United striker Jermaine Beckford has heaped praise on Patrick Bamford, claiming that he is the “ultimate team player” for the Yorkshire outfit.

There were a lot of questions surrounding Bamford heading into Leeds’ Premier League return last season.

The striker previously struggled in the top flight during his time at the likes of Middlesbrough and Burnley.


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But the Englishman’s doubters were silenced last term as he shone for the Whites. He bagged 17 goals in the Premier League as Marcelo Bielsa’s side enjoyed a fantastic season.

Beckford has praised Bamford during the latest episode of The Official Leeds Utd Podcast. He believes that the forward is the “ultimate team player”:

“Just seeing him [Bamford] coming off the football pitch at the end of the games and having conversations with him or listening to him doing an interview after the game, you could see he is physically drained and having next to nothing left in the tank.

“That is how much he actually puts into his performances at Leeds United whether it is at home or on the road.

“He is brilliant and the new contract, it is well, well overdue and is well deserved because he offers us so much more than just the 17 or so goals, he scored last season and the goal he scored against Burnley.

“He offers the rest of the players the freedom to express themselves and to get forward and create so many more opportunities and spaces for the likes of Jack Harrison on one side and Raphinha, then [Daniel] James, he is going to experience that as well.

“He is the ultimate team player.”

Earlier this week, Bamford suggested that Harry Kane is the “best striker in the world”:

“I’ve not really modelled my game on Harry. For me, he’s the best striker in the world as an out-and-out No.9.

“But there are certain aspects where I look up to him and see where I can improve. Even in training I saw how crisp his contacts with the ball is when he’s finishing.

“I don’t know if our game is as similar as people make out because I run in behind a lot more and there are different aspects of it but there are definitely things I can learn from him.”